Possibly a bit unrelated, but can anyone fill me in on what's happening with NYYimby.com Seems like there hasn't been a new article since February 21st. Did I miss something?

Yeah its yimby news now. Also, be sure to check out the development map. That's something I remember Nikolai telling me 2 years ago that he wanted to implement. Finally coming to fruition.

Still in development, but it will be very comprehensive based on the current data.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford

15 Penn Plaza is still owned by Vornado and they still plan redevelopment.

Might be something that rises past 2020. I've heard figures being 2025. There were some renovations recently at Hotel Penn I believe. Probably in an attempt to extend its life another 10 years.

Right now though, I don't think the market could support a tower like 15 Penn., especially if it's all office.

I think given the area, the development potential, they should go big, and thus, wait until the market makes more sense to support a large tower on that footprint. A sacrilege would be to downsize any future development.

This in theory, could be a site for the cities new tallest. In theory it could!

i remember back in the first few years after 9/11, some pundits were saying it was the end of skyscrapers (even over here in Sweden - but those were the same pundits who've always held the skyscrapers are inefficient and only about ego and oppress the working class). I wonder how many of those pundits remember even saying anything like that. People have a tendency to forget being on the wrong side of history.

Changes to this obscure rule could leave Midtown East streets shrouded in shadow
By Audrey Wachs (@gridwachs) • March 15, 2017

Quote:

The streets of Midtown East could get a whole lot darker thanks to changes in a little-known equation (outside of architecture, anyway) used to calculate shadows cast by tall buildings.

The city is looking to change a method developers use to calculate how much sunlight a building will obscure once it tops off. Crain’s reports that the Waldram diagram, as it’s called, will be toggled to encourage taller buildings in Midtown East as part of that neighborhood’s anticipated rezoning.
[...]

Quote:

The Department of City Planning (DCP) estimated that the rezoning will lead to the construction of a few new towers, so it’s unlikely that the entirety of Midtown East will be shrouded in perma-dusk in the future.

I could not agree more, this looks like pure architect puke. Or fart-chitecht design.

It looks completely impractical from an engineering standpoint, and it's downright ugly.

__________________
"Build me to the heavens, and Life never stops"
"Live as if the world were as it should be, to show it what it can be"
-Angel
"Prayers are fleeting and wars are forgotten, but what is built endures"
-Ambassador DeLenn, Babylon 5

That U-shaped tower is pretty cool - and interesting. Too bad it's not an actual real proposal with the backing of a developer (or is it?). Just seems like the news is eager to pick up what looks like a firm's design exercise to me.